CHAPTER 233

An Act to amend and reenact § 16.1-201, as amended, of the Code of
Virginia, relating to the construction, maintenance and operation of
detention homes.

[H 225]

Approved March 381, 1966

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 16.1-201 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, be amended and
reenacted as follows:

§ 16.1-201. The responsibility for the construction, maintenance and
operation of a detention home established by a city or county or any com-
bination thereof and the necessary expenses incurred in maintaining and
operating such detention home shall be a charge upon the county or city,
or any combination thereof, as the case may be, and the county boards of
supervisors or the city councils or other governing bodies shall make pro-
vision therefor. The Commonwealth shall reimburse the city or county,
or any combination thereof, as the case may be, one-half of the cost of
construction or enlargement of a detention home hereafter constructed or
enlarged by, or whose facilities will for a period of at least ten years be
available, upon a basis approved by the Board, for use by three or more
counties or cities or any combination thereof, and two-thirds of the sal-
aries of officers and employees engaged in the operation and maintenance
of detention homes; and it shall further reimburse the city or county, or
any combination thereof, for the entire reasonable cost of food and of the
clothing, medicines, lights, water, heat, disinfectants, beds and bedding,
and other necessary equipment and supplies required for the care of
children held in detention homes awaiting hearing or disposition under the
juvenile laws of this State. Provided, however, that no such reimburse-
ment for costs of construction shall be had unless the construction of such
detention home has been approved by the Governor and plans and speci-
fications therefor have been submitted to and approved by him; nor shall
any such reimbursement exceed fifty thousand dollars for any one such
home during any period of three years. Provided, further, that equipment
may be purchased only after approval is first obtained in writing from
the Department, or it is required by appropriate authority for safety or
health. As a condition of reimbursement by the State for the entire reason-
able cost of such equipment, the city or county or any combination thereof,
as the case may be, shall be obligated to offer such equipment to the
Department and obtain its written approval prior to the disposition of
same for any reason except for the replacement of obsolete by new, com-
parable equipment. The Department may withhold its written approval
tn cases where such equipment may be used elsewhere in the State penal
system, industrial schools or institutions for the detention or confinement
of juveniles, and it shall be authorized to transfer such equipment wher-
ever it may be so used. Such reimbursement shall be paid in monthly
installments by the State Treasurer out of funds appropriated in the
general appropriation act for criminal costs.